Blood sedge

Chapter 1187 A Good Merchant Hidden in the Dark (Part 1)

"Shen Dongshan!"

"bass!"

"Whoosh!"

The moment Shen Dongshan, beaming with joy, appeared in the council hall, Tang Afu, standing behind Liu Xunyi, suddenly changed his expression. The sorrow of his childhood and the dormant hatred instantly awakened, transforming into boundless rage and endless killing intent in the blink of an eye.

Without the slightest hesitation, he drew his sword with lightning speed, leaped into the air, gathered his strength mid-air, and with unstoppable momentum, the cold, merciless sword, like a silver lightning bolt, pierced fiercely towards Shen Dongshan's brow.

"hiss!"

The sudden turn of events left everyone caught off guard and utterly astonished.

"Tang Afu, you..."

Xie Xuan wanted to speak up to dissuade him, but before he could utter a word, Liu Xunyi waved him off. Clearly, he did not want to hinder Tang Afu from avenging his family.

"Protect the master!"

Seeing that everyone present was unmoved by Tang Afu's provocation, Kui Qi, Shen Dongshan's chief bodyguard, immediately changed his expression. He hurriedly called on the other bodyguards to be on high alert, while he himself pushed off with his feet, leaped into the air, and swung his blood-red, ten-thousand-thorn flying wheel to meet the oncoming ruthless swordsman head-on.

"Tang Afu, if you want to hurt the master, you'll have to get past me first!"

"Shen Dongshan is a fraud and a scoundrel, and you, as his henchman, deserve to die!"

"You arrogant brat!" Kui Qi roared, and the Thousand Thorn Flying Wheel flew out of his hand, spinning wildly as it approached Tang Afu.

"Keng!"

With a loud bang, Tang Afu swung his sword upwards, deflecting the oncoming Thousand-Spiked Flying Wheel high into the air.

The rapidly spinning flywheel lost its balance as it was blocked by the merciless sword, trembling and swaying in mid-air.

However, before the precarious Thousand Thorn Flying Wheel could crash to the ground, Kui Qi arrived in a flash. He first caught the flying wheel steadily with his right hand, then pressed his body against the inside of the flying wheel, using the huge disc as a shield, and used his own inertia to propel the flying wheel toward Tang Afu.

"Hmph! You scoundrel!"

Tang Afu disregarded Kui Qi's moves, casually twirling his sword a few times. Taking advantage of Kui Qi's dazzled state, he aimed his sword tip straight at the center of the wheel, intending to pierce through the Thousand-Pierced Flying Wheel and deliver a fatal blow to Kui Qi.

While Tang Afu's Ruthless Sword was indeed indestructible, Kui Qi's Thousand Thorn Flying Wheel was no ordinary weapon either. It was forged from refined steel and cold iron, and even the Ruthless Sword, which could cut through iron like mud, could only leave a small dent on the surface of the wheel, failing to penetrate it as desired.

"So this is what a ruthless swordsman is all about!"

Kui Qi successfully blocked Tang Afu's killing move, which boosted his confidence. He used his burly body to hold back the vibrating flying wheel, causing the indestructible wheel to deflect the sword tip and keep approaching Tang Afu, close to the sharp blade.

"Squeak!"

The sharp, piercing metallic scraping sound caused the eardrums of those present to throb, and they frowned repeatedly, instinctively covering their ears.

The blade, slightly embedded in the wheel, rubbed against the constantly sliding flywheel, sparking dazzling bursts of sparks.

Kui Qi, who had been huddled behind the roulette wheel, suddenly twisted his waist and stance the instant he approached Tang Afu. Using the flying wheel that was tightly gripping the sword pavilion as an axis, he flipped his body sharply to the left, while simultaneously swinging his left arm horizontally to strike Tang Afu on the back of the head.

"Little tricks."

Kui Qigang's fierce and ruthless fighting style might intimidate others, but it would be no match for the ruthless swordsman who has been through countless battles.

Facing the arm, as strong as steel, hurtling towards him, Tang Afu remained calm and composed. At the critical moment, he leaned forward and tilted his head, deftly dodging Kui Qi's sneak attack. Even as the wind from Kui Qi's punch grazed the back of his neck, Tang Afu's expression remained indifferent and calm, his movements fluid and seamless, without a trace of haste.

Just when everyone thought Tang Afu would distance himself from Kui Qi, he pointed his sword at the ground and, using the momentum of his forward lean, moved his right foot forward while his left foot suddenly kicked backward and upward at a very tricky angle towards Kui Qi's armpit.

"boom!"

Kui Qi, unable to dodge in time, took a solid kick. If his entire left arm hadn't been kept taut with muscles, the kick would have surely dislocated his bones.

"Where to go?"

Before Kui Qi, whose body was half numb from Tang Afu's kick, could hastily retreat from the battle, Tang Afu suddenly changed his move, using his left foot, which had just landed a hit, to strike down and aim for Kui Qi's knee.

Knowing he had no hope of escaping, Kui Qi's heart skipped a beat. He instinctively straightened his back, braced himself, and bent his knees. The instant Tang Afu's left foot reached his knee, he did not hesitate to bend his joint inward, extending the powerful force downward from his knee to his calf, from his calf to his ankle, from his ankle to his toes... until he shattered the blue bricks under his feet, only then did he barely manage to dissipate this internal force.

"Turning hardness into softness, using force to deflect force." Upon seeing this, Yun Zhuiyue couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "I originally thought Kui Qi was a rough and tough man who only knew how to use powerful and forceful techniques, but I didn't expect him to know how to use such skillful force."

“Kui Qi is indeed exceptional, but unfortunately his opponent today is A Fu.” Sure enough, before Xiao Zhirou finished speaking, Tang A Fu had already changed his move again.

He pressed down hard on Kui Qi's knee with his left foot, temporarily hindering his movement. At the same time, Tang Afu turned sideways, flipped in mid-air, and swung out a powerful whip kick, his right foot striking Kui Qi's side ribs with tremendous force.

"Hiss!" Tang Afu's unexpected moves broadened the horizons of the younger generation present.

"Responding to each move, countering each move, changing the move, and even having a follow-up move after the change." Yun Zhuiyue watched Tang Afu's amazing skills with great interest, while also praising Xiao Zhirou, "Rou'er, you taught all of this, didn't you? A swordsman has mastered such skillful fist and foot techniques. You truly deserve to be your personal disciple."

"Afu is not only exceptionally talented, but also incredibly hardworking and resilient." Even Xiao Zhirou, who is usually unfazed by praise or criticism, could not hide her satisfaction at Tang Afu's performance. "Kui Qi is also a master in his own right, but he is still a step behind Afu."

As they spoke, Kui Qi, caught in the middle of the battle, began to panic. Knowing that there was no way to avoid it, he could only hastily raise the Thousand Thorn Flying Wheel to firmly protect his vital points and withstand Tang Afu's Dragon Tail Swing.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Tang Afu's whip kick slammed into the wheel like a heavy hammer, pressing down on the flywheel and crashing down on Kui Qi's body. Kui Qi was so shocked that his bones were broken and his internal organs churned. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, and after landing, he staggered back seven or eight steps before finally regaining his balance.

This close-quarters combat may seem slow to describe, but the outcome can be decided in the blink of an eye.

In truth, Kui Qi had long known that Tang Afu's swordsmanship was unparalleled. Once the two separated, Tang Afu could easily unleash the full power of his swordsmanship. On the other hand, his Thousand Thorn Flying Wheel was particularly adept at long-range attacks, but the limited space in the council hall prevented him from fully utilizing his advantages. Therefore, Kui Qi chose to avoid direct confrontation and engage Tang Afu in close combat, hoping to gain the upper hand.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. The ruthless swordsman was not only a master swordsman, but also a first-rate fighter. In a close-quarters battle, Kui Qi, who had been hoping to gain an advantage, not only failed to do so, but almost suffered a great loss due to his underestimation of his opponent.

"Tang Afu, you do have some skills." Kui Qi rubbed his aching and numb body while launching a new round of provocations at Tang Afu. "I was careless just now and fell for your trick. If you're so capable, let's go outside and fight three hundred more rounds!"

"You? You think you're worthy of fighting me for three hundred rounds?" Tang Afu looked at the humiliated and indignant Kui Qi with disdain and said coldly, "I don't have time to waste on your nonsense. If you know what's good for you, get lost!"

After saying this, Tang Afu's eyes turned cold, and he once again drew his sword to stab Shen Dongshan.

"Go together."

"Yes!"

At Kui Qi's command, the other guards drew their swords and rushed towards Tang Afu. Although these guards were not as skilled as Kui Qi, they were still good fighters that Shen Dongshan had invited from all over the country at great expense, and they were not ordinary people.

One or two of them might not pose a threat to Tang Afu, but a dozen or so of them working together are a force to be reckoned with.

Seeing this, Liu Xunyi, who had been leisurely watching the battle, frowned slightly. Just as she was about to get up, Xie Xuan pressed her shoulder down first.

“I know that Tang Afu and you have a close relationship, but you should not forget your current status.” Xie Xuan said in a low voice, “Today you are the host and Shen Dongshan is the guest. If you take action against Tang Afu because of your personal grudge, it is neither the way of host and guest nor the etiquette of treating a guest. Moreover, regarding the matter of Sui Zuo and Guo Xian… we still need Shen Dongshan to give an explanation.”

"Does Master Xie mean... that I should just stand by and watch my friend fight against overwhelming odds?"

"No! What I mean is that those who achieve great things must prioritize the overall situation and never act impulsively." As he spoke, Xie Xuan increased the pressure on Liu Xunyi's shoulder by three points to show his attitude and determination. "Moreover, you should trust the ruthless swordsman's martial arts."

"This matter has nothing to do with the strength of martial arts, but only with the bond of friendship..."

“Master Xie is right.” Just as Liu Xunyi was about to argue with Xie Xuan, Su He’s voice rang out quietly.

Liu Xunyi was taken aback, and said in astonishment, "Brother has always valued loyalty and righteousness the most, why would he even do this to you today...?"

"Shen Dongshan is a mere merchant with no strength to even kill a chicken. Today, he has only a dozen or so followers. If you, as the head of the Xianwang Mansion, were to rashly intervene, the world might not necessarily condemn Liu Xunyi, but it would certainly ridicule the Xianwang Mansion." Su He stepped forward slowly, his sharp eyes fixed on the flashing swords of the battle, and said without turning his head, "However... your friends are my friends, and your brothers are my brothers. Today, you should consider the bigger picture. As for friendship, I will protect it for you!"

"Brother..."

Su He didn't give Liu Xunyi a chance to argue at all, and with a move like a swallow skimming the water, she flew into the fray.

The Blood Shadow Blade flashed in the air, and bursts of energy scattered in all directions. Su He, with the aura of a tiger entering a flock of sheep, overwhelmed the other guards except for Kui Qi, catching them off guard and forcing them to retreat repeatedly.

"As expected of the fastest swordsman in the Northern Desert, truly domineering." Yun Zhuiyue's tone was very strange, making it impossible to tell whether he was praising Su He's swift methods or mocking his meddling.

"In my life, I admire most chivalrous people who clearly distinguish between gratitude and resentment, and I despise most petty scoundrels who bully others by abusing their power." Having forced the crowd back, Su He stood with his sword drawn, his piercing eyes sweeping across the scene. He declared righteously, "If it's a one-on-one duel, regardless of victory or defeat, I will not interfere. But if anyone attempts to bully the weak with numbers, or commits despicable acts or unjust deeds, then don't blame me for being merciless with my blade!"

"call!"

"Crack!"

Before he finished speaking, Su He suddenly swung his knife towards the sky, and a beam as thick as a water bucket on the roof snapped in two. In an instant, the sky shook, the walls cracked, and sand and rubble scattered and fell.

At the same time, the Blood Shadow Blade trembled slightly, emitting a terrifying golden sound like the roar of a tiger and the cry of a dragon, which made people's livers and gallbladders tremble and their hair stand on end.

……